The Gentleman's Groom Room - Essence of Scotland soaps

[Azhrei]

I am interested in The Gentleman's Groom Room Essence of Scotland line of soaps. I know that some of the community here have used, and possibly still do use, these soaps, and I'd like to know your opinions of them, scent, lather quality, longevity (how long they last), and just a general view of how they compare to other options on the market.

I am Scottish by heritage and very much want to try them, but it's a bit cost prohibitive as they are quite expensive, and I don't have a local retailer so that I can smell them first, so I'm turning to the knowledgeable and friendly people here to provide me with hands-on information.

[DPeet]

The scent of these soaps is wonderful. In my opinion, that is where these soaps shine. I found the lather to be great for one pass and one pass only. After that, the slickness and glide deteriorated. By the middle of the second pass, it was akin to dry shaving--and this happened every time I used the soap. They do, however, smell fantastic.

[Azhrei]

Is this due to the lather just breaking down, or drying out and needing a dab or two more of water?

[DPeet]

Regardless of the method I used, the results were the same. The lather always looked and felt good--nice and slick for one pass, maybe 1.5. More water only made for a runny lather, less made dry lather. It never broke down per se, it just felt as if it did. It very well could have been me, but one online review pretty much echoes my experience. I would; however, have no issues buying it again strictly based upon the scent. For what its worth, it was Scottish Heather that I purchased. A sweet patchouli, Honey undertone with a strong oak, moss presence. A delight to my nose anyway...